Question for Christians

[TildaKauskumholm]

Not being goady or disrespectful at all, just puzzled. I am just recovering from a health issue and have been using online forums for support and advice. Many on there are American, and it is common for them to mention praying re test results/surgery etc. They also say things such as God has helped their recovery/given them a good outcome, etc. I am always puzzled by this, and would like to know, if you are a Christian, why do you think God will help you through the problem, or has caused you to recover, when surely God could have caused you NOT to have the health issue in the first place? Please don't be offended, I am not anti-Christian or any other religion, but I don't get the thinking here.

'll never be able to believe myself due to some really terrible things that have happened to me and not being able to fathom a god existing who would let them happen.

I'm sorry to hear that. I've had some hard things happen in my own life too, (multiple bereavements, cancer). Personally, the I thing take from it is I am are still here and I have some lovely people in my life. Life still has meaning. I don't value my life as lesser because there has been tragedies in it. But I am a very much an enjoy life whilst you can person. It's how I cope. I know others have a need to vent and grieve more than I like to, personally, myself. I suspect some people might think I am too eager to move on from difficult stuff.

@silverystream

Thank you that was a lovely message and I appreciate it

For me the profound effect of the terrible things was that I felt there couldn't be a higher power who would let them happen but also that I am strong enough to cope with them myself and it made me in awe of our body and brains ability to overcome hardship.

I think whatever makes someone feel better (like my ma as I said being a churchgoer) is the main thing

It's like channelling energy, in my view - we're all just floating around doing our own thing and due to genetics or pollution or any other human causal factor we get ill. It's not down to God because I don't think He/She micromanages our existence in that way - we're given the freedom to pump plastic into the oceans and the freedom to see sense and stop. I see praying - genuine open hearted attempts to connect with a higher power as a bit like neural pathways in the brain - the more we do it, the more sincere we are about it, the more that connection is forged. However, whilst there's scientific evidence to support praying my own personal view comes from me being a bit of a hippyish christian who has studied Philosophy (particularly Spinoza) and likes to find overlaps between the disciplines. It's just my view and of course it doesn't help anyone who has been through a tragedy or other awful event where praying seemed to do fuck all. I have an eye test tomorrow which I'm very worried about so i'm praying like mad. I wouldn't say my faith is rock solid.

For me the profound effect of the terrible things was that I felt there couldn't be a higher power who would let them happen but also that I am strong enough to cope with them myself and it made me in awe of our body and brains ability to overcome hardship.

I know it's a terribly difficult message to swallow but there is plenty of suffering detailed in the Bible, as in real life. It comes as no shock, though, it is always shocking when it is close to home. My faith, though, helps me cope, much like your mother, I expect.

@Lulualla interesting that you're citing a detailed description of how prayer and meditation act on the brain to disprove the power of prayer i'm sure there's a fitting chapter and verse for you, darned if i can remember it.

I know it's a terribly difficult message to swallow but there is plenty of suffering detailed in the Bible, as in real life

Yep I know lots about real life struggles unfortunately and while I understand what you're saying from your personal point of view, any struggles described in the bible have no personal relevance to me so there's no message for me to swallow.

I'm proud I've dealt with shit hands but managed to find and grow happiness and strength.

I do appreciate you being understanding too, it's nice to both be respectful of another's opinion

any struggles described in the bible have no personal relevance to me so there's no message for me to swallow.

Ah, well there you go, that is where we differ. But I am like that with a lot of written word these days. Read silently and I automatically consider what is written as I would a thought going through my head. Seems to affect me profoundly so much so I am careful over what I read.

I'm proud I've dealt with shit hands but managed to find and grow happiness and strength.

Pleased you still find happiness and strength.

I do appreciate you being understanding too, it's nice to both be respectful of another's opinion 

Likewise.

@silverystream

Why do some people get "miracles" and not others?

I'll tell you who never get miracles, people who have lost body parts. God must hate amputees. I mean, we hear about miracle cures, for cancer and every other disease f the internal organs. We hear that the paralysed can walk and the blind can see. But no one ever grew back missing legs, or missing eyes. Not a single visitor to Lourdes has ever grown back so much as a lost little finger.

Surely, if god can make the paralysed walk again, why do people who have lost both legs never grow them back? And don't tell me it's impossible, because that's what miracles are, granting the impossible.

Maybe someone can tell my why god has it in for them?

I don't pray for healing. I would find it abhorrent to think that God might miraculously heal some sufferers and would let others die. I can believe that Jesus had the power of miraculous healing as a way to demonstrate his divinity but don't believe it happens today.

I pray for those suffering illness to have strength and courage to face their troubles. I pray for the doctors and nurses caring for them to help them do so in the best possible way despite their exhaustion and over-work. I pray for the scientists researching for cures that they might be inspired. And as prayer's primary purpose is to turn the thoughts of the person praying away from their own petty concerns and out into the world, I then do things like writing to my mp demanding better funding for the NHS and for research funding.

But if god is maker of all things then why does cancer exist, for example?

I understand that when non religious people say things like why did Hitler exist, Christians say it's because God gave us free will. I don't agree but I understand where they are coming from.

But the free will argument doesn't work with diseases that are down to genetics that cannot be changed.

As I said to a PP I'm genuinely not trying to be patronising or combative, it just makes no sense to me as if God is our creator then that means he must have given some people illnesses.

But the free will argument doesn't work with diseases that are down to genetics that cannot be changed.

The thing is I don't believes genetics cannot be changed. I take the stance they can be but we don't know what we're doing with that. The study of epigenetics and environmental conditions affecting gene expression leads me to this conclusion. So free will does come into it but it is the free will of more than just our individual selves and our individual generation that affects our genetics and propensity towards disease. I don't believe we were created to be diseased.

Some say it's because of their lack of faith. Some say it's not what matters in this life but the next. Some might say we're just God's entertainment but I have no idea!